Meditation and Flow
Greetings from my tiny corner of South Dakota in the waning days of autumn. As the days rolls by and the seasons come and go, our lives undergo transformations that are often so subtle they go unnoticed. And sometimes there are more seismic shifts in which our priorities are rearranged and our attention refocused. Having left my full time office job in the late summer, I have now returned to a full-time focus in the studio. It has taken me some time to feel grounded, to have fully slipped back into my own skin, so to speak.
I am refocusing my attention on exploring the richness of my daily drawing project for a number of reasons. I’ve come to see this daily practice as a true form of meditation and I consider it a spiritual practice. The focus on letting my hand move at one with the materials, in the moment, is akin to a focus on the breath, letting thoughts come and go without latching on. For me, this is not about making “art”, but about letting go of all the voices, all the visual stimulation and inspiration I encounter, in order to let my own voice, the marks that are mine to make….allowing them to bubble up and flow out onto the page. I am the first to admit that this is often a mighty struggle, just as it is to focus on the breath and not on the inevitable thoughts are flit through. When I am in the moment, when there is flow, I feel it….an affirmation that feels physical, deep inside the pit of my stomach. I felt that this morning as I relaxed into the drawing process with the drawing above (available via Etsy with the title/link).
Establishing a flow is sometimes a struggle….like yesterday. I remind myself that the Daily Drawing Project is a practice and I can always learn something in the process. Because these pieces make their way into my Etsy shop, so they can bring some joy to others, I must be careful that I begin from the right place. If I set out trying to make “art”, rather than being willing to let go and be fearless, I will struggle mightily. The metaphoric door to the studio must be firmly closed, all the artists past and present that inspire me….they must wait outside, along with all other striving. It is only when I am truly alone that is is possible for me to find my inner voice, my inner language. Yesterday, I forgot to close the door….eventually, I ushered everyone out of the studio and there was some sense of closure, but I have to admit…little joy.
Still, I share them all…these drawings are a record of my journey. Each is a trace of the moment and a bit of the conversation, with myself and with the world. I’ve found that these drawings resonate with others across the globe….there is a communication beyond language and that mystery is a wee bit of the magic!